Performing a configuration virtual topology change and instruction therefore

ABSTRACT

In a logically partitioned host computer system comprising host processors (host CPUs) partitioned into a plurality of guest processors (guest CPUs) of a guest configuration, a perform topology function instruction is executed by a guest processor specifying a topology change of the guest configuration. The topology change preferably changes the polarization of guest CPUs, the polarization related to the amount of a host CPU resource is provided to a guest CPU.

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/972,766“PERFORMING A CONFIGURATION VIRTUAL TOPOLOGY CHANGE AND INSTRUCTIONTHEREFORE” filed Jan. 11, 2008, assigned to IBM. The disclosure of theforgoing application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to virtualization ofmulti-processor systems. In particular, the present invention relates toenabling programs to change elements of the topology of their virtualenvironment.

BACKGROUND

Among the system control functions is the capability to partition thesystem into several logical partitions (LPARs). An LPAR is a subset ofthe system hardware that is defined to support an operating system. AnLPAR contains resources (processors, memory, and input/output devices)and operates as an independent system. Multiple logical partitions canexist within a mainframe hardware system.

In the mainframe computer systems from IBM including the S/390®, formany years there was a limit of 15 LPARs. More recent machines have 30(and potentially more). Such machines are exemplified by those of thez/Architecture®. The IBM® z/Architecture® is described in thez/Architecture Principles of Operation SA22-7832-05 published April,2007 by IBM and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Practical limitations of memory size, I/O availability, and availableprocessing power usually limit the number of LPARs to less than thesemaximums.

The hardware and firmware that provides partitioning is known as PR/SM™(Processor Resource/System Manager). It is the PR/SM functions that areused to create and run LPARs. This difference between PR/SM (a built-infacility) and LPARs (the result of using PR/SM) is often ignored and theterm LPAR is used collectively for the facility and its results.

System administrators assign portions of memory to each LPAR and memorycannot be shared among LPARs. The administrators can assign processors(also known as central processors (CPs) or central processing units(CPUs)) to specific LPARs or they can allow the system controllers todispatch any or all the processors to all the LPARs using an internalload-balancing algorithm. Channels (CHPIDs) can be assigned to specificLPARs or can be shared by multiple LPARs, depending on the nature of thedevices on each channel.

A system with a single processor (CP processor) can have multiple LPARs.PR/SM has an internal dispatcher that can allocate a portion of theprocessor to each LPAR, much as an operating system dispatcher allocatesa portion of its processor time to each process, thread, or task.

Partitioning control specifications are partly contained in the IOCDSand are partly contained in a system profile. The IOCDS and profile bothreside in the Support Element (SE) which, for example, is simply anotebook computer inside the system. The SE can be connected to one ormore Hardware Management Consoles (HMCs), which, for example, aredesktop personal computers used to monitor and control hardware such asthe mainframe microprocessors. An HMC is more convenient to use than anSE and can control several different mainframes.

Working from an HMC (or from an SE, in unusual circumstances), anoperator prepares a mainframe for use by selecting and loading a profileand an IOCDS. These create LPARs and configure the channels with devicenumbers, LPAR assignments, multiple path information, and so forth. Thisis known as a Power-on Reset (POR). By loading a different profile andIOCDS, the operator can completely change the number and nature of LPARsand the appearance of the I/O configuration. However, doing this isusually disruptive to any running operating systems and applications andis therefore seldom done without advance planning.

Logical partitions (LPARs) are, in practice, equivalent to separatemainframes.

Each LPAR runs its own operating system. This can be any mainframeoperating system; there is no need to run z/OS®, for example, in eachLPAR. The installation planners may elect to share I/O devices acrossseveral LPARs, but this is a local decision.

The system administrator can assign one or more system processors forthe exclusive use of an LPAR. Alternately, the administrator can allowall processors to be used on some or all LPARs. Here, the system controlfunctions (often known as microcode or firmware) provide a dispatcher toshare the processors among the selected LPARs. The administrator canspecify a maximum number of concurrent processors executing in eachLPAR. The administrator can also provide weightings for different LPARs;for example, specifying that LPAR1 should receive twice as muchprocessor time as LPAR2.

The operating system in each LPAR is initialized (for example, IPLed)separately, has its own copy of its operating system, has its ownoperator console (if needed), and so forth. If the system in one LPARcrashes, there is no effect on the other LPARs.

In a mainframe system with three LPARs, for example, you might have aproduction z/OS in LPAR1, a test version of z/OS in LPAR2, and Linux®for S/390® in LPAR3. If this total system has 8 GB of memory, we mighthave assigned 4 GB to LPAR1, 1 GB to LPAR2, 1 GB to LPAR3, and have kept2 GB in reserve. The operating system consoles for the two z/OS LPARsmight be in completely different locations.

For most practical purposes there is no difference between, for example,three separate mainframes running z/OS (and sharing most of their I/Oconfiguration) and three LPARs on the same mainframe doing the samething. With minor exceptions z/OS, the operators, and applicationscannot detect the difference.

The minor differences include the ability of z/OS (if permitted when theLPARs were defined or anytime during execution) to obtain performanceand utilization information across the complete mainframe system and todynamically shift resources (processors and channels) among LPARs toimprove performance.

Today's IBM® mainframes, also called a central processor complex (CPC)or central electronic complex (CEC), may contain several different typesof z/Architecture® processors that can be used for slightly differentpurposes.

Several of these purposes are related to software cost control, whileothers are more fundamental. All of the processors in the CPC begin asequivalent processor units (PUs) or engines that have not beencharacterized for use. Each processor is characterized by IBM duringinstallation or at a later time. The potential characterizations are:

Processor (CP)

This processor type is available for normal operating system andapplication software.

System Assistance Processor (SAP)

Every modern mainframe has at least one SAP; larger systems may haveseveral. The SAPs execute internal code to provide the I/O subsystem. ASAP, for example, translates device numbers and real addresses ofchannel path identifiers (CHPIDs), control unit addresses, and devicenumbers. It manages multiple paths to control units and performs errorrecovery for temporary errors. Operating systems and applications cannotdetect SAPs, and SAPs do not use any “normal” memory.

Integrated Facility for Linux® (IFL)

This is a normal processor with one or two instructions disabled thatare used only by z/OS®. Linux does not use these instructions and cantherefore operate on an IFL. Linux can be executed by a CP as well. Thedifference is that an IFL is not counted when specifying the modelnumber of the system. This can make a substantial difference in softwarecosts.

zAAP

This is a processor with a number of functions disabled (interrupthandling, some instructions) such that no full operating system canoperate on the processor. However, z/OS can detect the presence of zAAPprocessors and will use them to execute Java™ code. The same Java codecan be executed on a standard CP. Again, zAAP engines are not countedwhen specifying the model number of the system Like IFLs, they existonly to control software costs.

zIIP

The System z9™ Integrated Information Processor (zIIP) is a specializedengine for processing eligible database workloads. The zIIP is designedto help lower software costs for select workloads on the mainframe, suchas business intelligence (BI), enterprise resource planning (ERP) andcustomer relationship management (CRM). The zIIP reinforces themainframe's role as the data hub of the enterprise by helping to makedirect access to DB2® more cost effective and reducing the need formultiple copies of the data.

Integrated Coupling Facility (ICF)

These processors run only Licensed Internal Code. They are not visibleto normal operating systems or applications. For example, a couplingfacility is, in effect, a large memory scratch pad used by multiplesystems to coordinate work. ICFs must be assigned to LPARs that thenbecome coupling facilities.

Spare

An uncharacterized PU functions as a “spare.” If the system controllersdetect a failing CP or SAP, it can be replaced with a spare PU. In mostcases this can be done without any system interruption, even for theapplication running on the failing processor.

In addition to these characterizations of processors, some mainframeshave models or versions that are configured to operate slower than thepotential speed of their CPs. This is widely known as “knee-capping”,although IBM prefers the term capacity setting, or something similar. Itis done, for example, by using microcode to insert null cycles into theprocessor instruction stream. The purpose, again, is to control softwarecosts by having the minimum mainframe model or version that meets theapplication requirements. IFLs, SAPs, zAAPs, zIIPs, and ICFs alwaysfunction at the full speed of the processor because these processors “donot count” in software pricing calculations.

Processor and CPU can refer to either the complete system box, or to oneof the processors (CPUs) within the system box. Although the meaning maybe clear from the context of a discussion, even mainframe professionalsmust clarify which processor or CPU meaning they are using in adiscussion. IBM uses the term central processor complex (CPC) to referto the physical collection of hardware that includes main storage, oneor more central processors, timers, and channels. (Some systemprogrammers use the term central electronic complex (CEC) to refer tothe mainframe “box,” but the preferred term is CPC.)

Briefly, all the S/390 or z/Architecture processors within a CPC areprocessing units (PUs). When IBM delivers the CPC, the PUs arecharacterized as CPs (for normal work), Integrated Facility for Linux(IFL), Integrated Coupling Facility (ICF) for Parallel Sysplexconfigurations, and so forth.

Mainframe professionals typically use system to indicate the hardwarebox, a complete hardware environment (with I/O devices), or an operatingenvironment (with software), depending on the context. They typicallyuse processor to mean a single processor (CP) within the CPC.

The z/VM® HYPERVISOR™ is designed to help clients extend the businessvalue of mainframe technology across the enterprise by integratingapplications and data while providing exceptional levels ofavailability, security, and operational ease. z/VM virtualizationtechnology is designed to allow the capability for clients to runhundreds to thousands of Linux servers on a single mainframe runningwith other System z operating systems, such as z/OS®, or as alarge-scale Linux-only enterprise server solution. z/VM V5.3 can alsohelp to improve productivity by hosting non-Linux workloads such asz/OS, z/VSE, and z/TPF.

z/VM provides each user with an individual working environment known asa virtual machine. The virtual machine simulates the existence of adedicated real machine, including processor functions, memory,networking, and input/output (I/O) resources. Operating systems andapplication programs can run in virtual machines as guests. For example,you can run multiple Linux and z/OS images on the same z/VM system thatis also supporting various applications and end users. As a result,development, testing, and production environments can share a singlephysical computer.

Referring to FIGS. 15A-15D, partitioning and virtualization involve ashift in thinking from physical to logical by treating system resourcesas logical pools rather than as separate physical entities. Thisinvolves consolidating and pooling system resources, and providing a“single system illusion” for both homogeneous and heterogeneous servers,storage, distributed systems, and networks.

Partitioning of hardware involves separate CPUs for separate operatingsystems, each of which runs its specific applications. Softwarepartitioning employs a software-based “hypervisor” to enable individualoperating systems to run on any or all of the CPUs.

Hypervisors allow multiple operating systems to run on a host computerat the same time. Hypervisor technology originated in the IBM VM/370,the predecessor of the z/VM we have today. Logical partitioning (LPAR)involves partitioning firmware (a hardware-based hypervisor, forexample, PR/SM) to isolate the operating system from the CPUs.

Virtualization enables or exploits four fundamental capabilities:resource sharing, resource aggregation, emulation of function, andinsulation. We explore these topics in more detail in the followingsections.

z/VM is an operating system for the IBM System z platform that providesa highly flexible test and production environment. The z/VMimplementation of IBM virtualization technology provides the capabilityto run full-function operating systems such as Linux on System z, z/OS,and others as “guests” of z/VM. z/VM supports 64-bit IBM z/Architectureguests and 31-bit IBM Enterprise Systems Architecture/390 guests.

z/VM provides each user with an individual working environment known asa virtual machine. The virtual machine simulates the existence of adedicated real machine, including processor functions, memory,networking, and input/output (I/O) resources. Operating systems andapplication programs can run in virtual machines as guests. For example,you can run multiple Linux and z/OS® images on the same z/VM system thatis also supporting various applications and end users. As a result,development, testing, and production environments can share a singlephysical computer.

A virtual machine uses real hardware resources, but even with dedicateddevices (like a tape drive), the virtual address of the tape drive mayor may not be the same as the real address of the tape drive. Therefore,a virtual machine only knows “virtual hardware” that may or may notexist in the real world.

For example, in a basic-mode system, a first-level z/VM is the baseoperating system that is installed on top of the real hardware FIG. 16.A second-level operating system is a system that is created upon thebase z/VM operating system. Therefore, z/VM as a base operating systemruns on the hardware, while a guest operating system runs on thevirtualization technology. In FIG. 14, illustrates a second level guestz/VM OS loaded into a first level guest (guest-1) partition.

In other words, there is a first-level z/VM operating system that sitsdirectly on the hardware, but the guests of this first-level z/VM systemare virtualized. By virtualizing the hardware from the guests, we areable to create and use as many guests as needed with a small amount ofhardware.

As previously mentioned, operating systems running in virtual machinesare often called “guests”. Other terms and phrases you might encounterare:

“Running first level” or “running natively” means running directly onthe hardware (which is what z/VM does).

“Running second level”, “running under VM”, or “running on (top of) VM”,or “running as a guest-1” means running as a guest. Using the z/VMoperating system, it is also possible to “run as a guest-2” when z/VMitself runs as a guest-1 on a PR/SM hypervisor.

An example of the functionality of z/VM is, if you have a first-levelz/VM system and a second-level z/VM system, you could continue to createmore operating systems on the second-level system. This type ofenvironment is particularly useful for testing operating systeminstallation before deployment, or for testing or debugging operatingsystems.

Virtual resources can have functions or features that are not availablein their underlying physical resources. FIG. 14 illustratesvirtualization by resource emulation. Such functions or features aresaid to be emulated by the host program such that the guest observes thefunction or feature to be provided by the system when it is actuallyprovided due to the host-program assistance.

Examples include architecture emulation software that implements oneprocessor's architecture using another; iSCSI, which implements avirtual SCSI bus on an IP network; and virtual-tape storage implementedon physical disk storage.

Furthermore, the packing of central-processing units (CPUs) in moderntechnology is often hierarchical. Multiple cores can be placed on asingle chip. Multiple chips can be placed in a single module. Multiplemodules can be packaged on a board often referred to as a book, andmultiple books can be distributed across multiple frames.

CPU's often have several levels of caches, for example each processormay have a cache (or possibly a split Instruction cache and a datacache) and there may be additional larger caches between each processorand the main memory interface. Depending upon the level of thehierarchy, caches are also placed in order to improve overallperformance, and at certain levels, a cache may be shared among morethan a single CPU. The engineering decisions regarding such placementdeal with space, power/thermal, cabling distances, CPU frequency, memoryspeed, system performance, and other aspects. This placement of elementsof the CPU creates an internal structure that can be more or lessfavorable to a particular logical partition, depending upon where theplacement of each CPU of the partition resides. A logical partitiongives the appearance to an operating system, of ownership of certainresources including processor utilization where in actuality, theoperating system is sharing the resources with other operating systemsin other partitions. Normally, software is not aware of the placementand, in a symmetric-multiprocessing (SMP) configuration, observes a setof CPUs where each CPU provides the same level of performance. Theproblem is that ignorance of the internal packaging and “distance”between any two CPUs can result in software making less than optimumchoices on how CPUs can be assigned work. Therefore, the full potentialof the SMP configuration is not achieved.

The mainframe example of virtualization presented is intended to teachvarious topologies possible in virtualizing a machine. As mentioned, theprograms running in a partition (including the operating systems) likelyhave a view that the resources available to them, including theprocessors, memory and I/O are dedicated to the partition. In fact,programs do not have any idea that they are running in a partition. Suchprograms are also not aware of the topology of their partition andtherefore can not make choices based on such topology. What is needed isa way for programs to optimize for the configuration topology on whichthey are running.

SUMMARY

The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome, and additionaladvantages are provided, through the provision of a method, system, andcomputer program product for enabling a subset of dormant computerhardware resources in an upgradeable computer system having a set ofdormant computer hardware resources.

A host computer comprising host CPUs can be partitioned intological/virtual partitions having guest CPUs. The partitioning ispreferably accomplished by firmware or by software as might be providedby an operating system such as z/VM from IBM. Each guest CPU is avirtual CPU in that the guest programs view the guest CPUs as actual CPUprocessors, but in fact, the underlying host is mapping each guest CPUto host CPU resources. In an embodiment, a guest CPU is implementedusing a portion of a host CPU by the host designating a portion of CPUtime for the guest CPU to utilize the host CPU. It is envisioned that aplurality of guest CPUs might be supported by a single host CPU but theopposite may also apply.

In another embodiment, the guest CPUs are emulated by software whereby,emulation routines convert functions of the guest CPU (includinginstruction decode and execution) to routines that run on host CPUs. Thehost CPUs are provisioned to support guest CPUs.

In another embodiment, a first guest image may be the host of a secondguest image. In which case the second guest CPUs are provisioned byfirst guest CPUs which are themselves provisioned by host CPUs. Thetopology of the configurations is a nesting of levels of guest CPUs andone or more host CPUs.

A new PERFORM TOPOLOGY FACILITY (PTF) instruction is provided and theprior art STORE SYSTEM INFORMATION (STSI) instruction is enhanced toprovide a new SYSIB (SYSIB identifier 15.1.2) which provides componentaffinity and logical packaging information to software. This permits thesoftware to apply informed and intelligent selection on how individualelements, such as processing units of the multi-processor, are assignedto various applications and workloads. Thus providing information to aprogram (OS) for improving performance by increasing the shared-cachehit ratios for example.

A new PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION (PTF) instruction is used by aprivileged program such as a supervisor, an OS, a kernel and the like)to request that the CPU configuration topology within which the programis running be changed. In an embodiment, the guest CPU topology isswitched between horizontal and vertical polarization.

By having the capability to learn the CPU topology information, theprogram understands the “distance” between any arbitrary two or moreCPUs of a symmetric-multiprocessing configuration.

The capability provided for minimizing the aggregate distance of allCPUs in a configuration, and how particular application-program tasksare dispatched on the individual CPUs provides supervisory programs withthe ability to improve performance. The improved performance can resultfrom one or more of the following attributes which are improved bybetter topology knowledge:

Shortening Inter-CPU signaling paths.

Shared storage, accessed by multiple CPUs is more likely to be in cachesthat are closer to the set of CPUs. Therefore, inter-cache storage useis confined to a smaller subset of the overall machine and configurationwhich allows faster cache-to-cache transfer. Presence of a storagelocation in the closest cache of a CPU (L1) is significantly more likelyto occur.

Because of improved performance, the number of CPUs actually in theconfiguration can be fewer in number, while still getting the same jobdone in the same or less run time. Such reduction of CPUs lessens thenumber of communication paths that each CPU must use to communicate withthe other CPUs of the configuration, thereby further contributing tooverall performance improvement.

For example, if 10 CPUs need to execute a particular program, theinter-cache traffic is substantial whereas if the same program can beexecuted on one CPU, there is no inter-cache traffic. This indicatesthat the cache presence of desired storage locations is guaranteed to bein the cache of the single CPU, if that storage is in any cache at all.

When storage and associated cache hierarchy is local, as opposed tobeing distributed across multiple physical frames (i.e. boxes, etc.),signaling paths are shorter. Topology knowledge indicates the relativedistance in selecting the appropriate subset of CPUs to assign to anapplication program such that, even within a larger set of CPUs in anSMP configuration, the subset optimizes the minimized distance amongthem. This is sometimes called an affinity group

The notions of CPU-count reduction and distance between CPUs areinformed by topology information which allows the program to optimizethe assignment of CPUs to an affinity group.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a logicallypartitioned host computer system comprising host processors (host CPUs),a method, system, and program product for a configuration change of atopology of a plurality of guest processors (guest CPUs) of a guestconfiguration. Preferably, a guest processor of the guest configurationfetches a PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION instruction defined for a computerarchitecture, the PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION INSTRUCTION comprising anopcode field specifying a function to be performed. The function to beperformed by execution of the perform topology function instructioncomprising:

requesting a specified change of the configuration of the polarizationof the guest processors of the guest configuration; and

responsive to the requested specified polarization change, changing theconfiguration of the topology of the guest processors of the guestconfiguration according to the specified polarization change.

In an aspect of the invention the PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION instructionfurther comprises a register field, wherein the executing the PERFORMTOPOLOGY FUNCTION instruction further comprises:

obtaining from a function code field of a register specified by theregister field, a function code field value, the function code fieldvalue consisting of any one of a horizontal polarization instructionspecifier, a vertical polarization instruction specifier or a check ofthe status of a topology change specifier;

responsive to the instruction specifying the horizontal polarization,initiating horizontal polarization of the guest processors of thecomputer configuration;

responsive to the instruction specifying the vertical polarization,initiating vertical polarization of the guest processors of the computerconfiguration; and

setting a result code value in a result field of the register.

In another aspect of the invention, initiated polarization isasynchronous to the completion of the execution, and responsive to thefunction code field value specifying a status check of a topology changethe completion status of the topology change is checked.

In an embodiment, horizontal polarization comprises providingsubstantially equal host processor resource to each guest processorresource, wherein vertical polarization comprises providingsubstantially more host processor resource to at least one guestprocessor of said guest processors than to at least another guestprocessor of said guest processors.

In another embodiment, the result code value specifies a reason codeindicating an inability to accept the polarization request andconsisting of:

responsive to the configuration being polarized as specified by thefunction code prior to execution, the result code value indicating theconfiguration is already polarized according to the function code; and

responsive to the configuration processing an incomplete polarizationprior to execution, the result code value indicating a topology changeis already in process.

In an embodiment, the execution further comprises:

responsive to a topology change being in progress, setting a conditioncode indicating a topology-change initiated; and

responsive to the request being rejected, setting a condition codeindicating the request is rejected.

In an embodiment, the execution further comprises:

responsive to no topology change report being pending, setting acondition code indicating a topology-change-report not pending; and

responsive to a topology change report being pending, setting acondition code indicating a topology-change-report pending.

In an embodiment, the perform topology function instruction defined forthe computer architecture is fetched and executed by a centralprocessing unit of an alternate computer architecture,

-   -   wherein the method further comprises interpreting the PERFORM        TOPOLOGY FUNCTION instruction to identify a predetermined        software routine for emulating the operation of the PERFORM        TOPOLOGY FUNCTION instruction; and    -   wherein executing the PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION instruction        comprises executing the predetermined software routine to        perform steps of the method for executing the machine        instruction.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniquesof the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the inventionare described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimedinvention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantagesand features, refer to the description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of thespecification. The invention, however, both as to organization andmethod of practice, together with further objects and advantagesthereof, may best be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a Host Computer system of the prior art;

FIG. 2 depicts a prior art emulated Host Computer system;

FIG. 3 depicts an instruction format of a prior art STSI machineinstruction;

FIG. 4 depicts implied registers of the prior art STSI instruction;

FIG. 5 depicts a function code table;

FIG. 6 depicts a prior art SYSIB 1.1.1 table;

FIG. 7 depicts a prior art SYSIB 1.2.1 table;

FIG. 8 depicts a prior art Format-1 SYSIB 1.2.2 table;

FIG. 9 depicts a prior art Format-2 SYSIB 1.2.2 table;

FIG. 10 depicts a SYSIB 15.1.2 table according to the invention;

FIG. 11 depicts a container type TLE;

FIG. 12 depicts a CPU type TLE;

FIG. 13 depicts an instruction format of a PTF machine instructionaccording to the invention;

FIG. 14 depicts a register format of the PTF instruction;

FIGS. 15A-15D depict prior art elements of partitioned computer systems;

FIG. 16 depicts an example computer system;

FIGS. 17-19 depicts containers of the example computer system; and

FIGS. 20-21 depict a flow of an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a mainframe, architected machine instructions are used by programmers(typically writing applications in “C” but also Java®, COBOL, PL/I,PL/X, Fortran and other high level languages), often by way of acompiler application. These instructions stored in the storage mediummay be executed natively in a z/Architecture IBM Server, oralternatively in machines executing other architectures. They can beemulated in the existing and in future IBM mainframe servers and onother machines of IBM (e.g. pSeries® Servers and xSeries® Servers). Theycan be executed in machines running Linux on a wide variety of machinesusing hardware manufactured by IBM®, Intel®, AMD™, Sun Microsystems andothers. Besides execution on that hardware under a z/Architecture®,Linux can be used as well as machines which use emulation by Hercules,UMX, FSI (Fundamental Software, Inc) or Platform Solutions, Inc. (PSI),where generally execution is in an emulation mode. In emulation mode,emulation software is executed by a native processor to emulate thearchitecture of an emulated processor.

The native processor typically executes emulation software comprisingeither firmware or a native operating system to perform emulation of theemulated processor. The emulation software is responsible for fetchingand executing instructions of the emulated processor architecture. Theemulation software maintains an emulated program counter to keep trackof instruction boundaries. The emulation software may fetch one or moreemulated machine instructions at a time and convert the one or moreemulated machine instructions to a corresponding group of native machineinstructions for execution by the native processor. These convertedinstructions may be cached such that a faster conversion can beaccomplished. Not withstanding, the emulation software must maintain thearchitecture rules of the emulated processor architecture so as toassure operating systems and applications written for the emulatedprocessor operate correctly. Furthermore the emulation software mustprovide resources identified by the emulated processor architectureincluding, but not limited to control registers, general purposeregisters (often including floating point registers), dynamic addresstranslation function including segment tables and page tables forexample, interrupt mechanisms, context switch mechanisms, Time of Day(TOD) clocks and architected interfaces to I/O subsystems such that anoperating system or an application program designed to run on theemulated processor, can be run on the native processor having theemulation software.

A specific instruction being emulated is decoded, and a subroutinecalled to perform the function of the individual instruction. Anemulation software function emulating a function of an emulatedprocessor is implemented, for example, in a “C” subroutine or driver, orsome other method of providing a driver for the specific hardware aswill be within the skill of those in the art after understanding thedescription of the preferred embodiment. Various software and hardwareemulation patents including, but not limited to U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,013for a “Multiprocessor for hardware emulation” of Beausoleil et al., andU.S. Pat. No. 6,009,261: Preprocessing of stored target routines foremulating incompatible instructions on a target processor” of Scalzi etal; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,873: Decoding guest instruction to directlyaccess emulation routines that emulate the guest instructions, ofDavidian et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,255: Symmetrical multiprocessing busand chipset used for coprocessor support allowing non-native code to runin a system, of Gorishek et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,582: Dynamicoptimizing object code translator for architecture emulation and dynamicoptimizing object code translation method of Lethin et al; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,790,825: Method for emulating guest instructions on a hostcomputer through dynamic recompilation of host instructions of EricTraut; and many others, illustrate the a variety of known ways toachieve emulation of an instruction format architected for a differentmachine for a target machine available to those skilled in the art, aswell as those commercial software techniques used by those referencedabove.

Referring to FIG. 1, representative components of a host computer system100 are portrayed. Other arrangements of components may also be employedin a computer system which are well known in the art.

The host computing environment is preferably based on the z/Architectureoffered by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM®), Armonk,N.Y. The z/Architecture is more fully described in: z/ArchitecturePrinciples of Operation, IBM® Pub. No. SA22-7832-05, 6^(th) Edition,(April 2007), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety. Computing environments based on the z/Architecture include,for example, eServer™ and zSeries®, both by IBM®.

The representative host computer 100 comprises one or more CPUs 101 incommunication with main store (computer memory 102) as well as I/Ointerfaces to storage devices 111 and networks 101 for communicatingwith other computers or SANs and the like. The CPU may have DynamicAddress Translation (DAT) 103 for transforming program addresses(virtual addresses) into real address of memory. A DAT typicallyincludes a Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) 107 for cachingtranslations so that later accesses to the block of computer memory 102do not require the delay of address translation. Typically a cache 109is employed between computer memory 102 and the Processor 101. The cache109 may be hierarchical having a large cache available to more than oneCPU and smaller, faster (lower level) caches between the large cache andeach CPU. In some implementations the lower level caches are split toprovide separate low level caches for instruction fetching and dataaccesses. In an embodiment, an instruction is fetched from memory 102 byan instruction fetch unit 104 via a cache 109. The instruction isdecoded in an instruction decode unit (706) and dispatched (with otherinstructions in some embodiments) to instruction execution units 108.Typically several execution units 108 are employed, for example anarithmetic execution unit, a floating point execution unit and a branchinstruction execution unit. The instruction is executed by the executionunit, accessing operands from instruction specified registers or memoryas needed. If an operand is to be accessed (loaded or stored) frommemory 102, a load store unit 105 typically handles the access undercontrol of the instruction being executed.

In an embodiment, the invention may be practiced by software (sometimesreferred to Licensed Internal Code (LIC), firmware, micro-code,milli-code, pico-code and the like, any of which would be consistentwith the present invention). Software program code which embodies thepresent invention is typically accessed by the processor also known as aCPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 of computer system 100 from long termstorage media 111, such as a CD-ROM drive, tape drive or hard drive. Thesoftware program code may be embodied on any of a variety of known mediafor use with a data processing system, such as a diskette, hard drive,or CD-ROM. The code may be distributed on such media, or may bedistributed to users from the computer memory 102 or storage of onecomputer system over a network 110 to other computer systems for use byusers of such other systems.

Alternatively, the program code may be embodied in the memory 102, andaccessed by the processor 101 using the processor bus. Such program codeincludes an operating system which controls the function and interactionof the various computer components and one or more application programs.Program code is normally paged from dense storage media 111 to highspeed memory 102 where it is available for processing by the processor101. The techniques and methods for embodying software program code inmemory, on physical media, and/or distributing software code vianetworks are well known and will not be further discussed herein.Program code, when created and stored on a tangible medium (includingbut not limited to electronic memory modules (RAM), flash memory,compact discs (CDs), DVDs, magnetic tape and the like is often referredto as a “computer program product”. The computer program product mediumis typically readable by a processing circuit preferably in a computersystem for execution by the processing circuit.

In FIG. 2, an example emulated host computer system 201 is provided thatemulates a host computer system 100 of a host architecture. In theemulated host computer system 201, the host processor (CPUs) 208 is anemulated host processor (or virtual host processor) and comprises anemulation processor 207 having a different native instruction setarchitecture than that of used by the processor 101 of the host computer100. The emulated host computer system 201 has memory 202 accessible tothe emulation processor 207. In the example embodiment, the memory 207is partitioned into a host computer memory 102 portion and an emulationroutines 203 portion. The host computer memory 102 is available toprograms of the emulated host computer 201 according to host computerarchitecture. The emulation processor 207 executes native instructionsof an architected instruction set of an architecture other than that ofthe emulated processor 208, the native instructions obtained fromemulation routines memory 203, and may access a host instruction forexecution from a program in host computer memory 102 by employing one ormore instruction(s) obtained in a Sequence & Access/Decode routine whichmay decode the host instruction(s) accessed to determine a nativeinstruction execution routine for emulating the function of the hostinstruction accessed.

Other facilities that are defined for the host computer system 100architecture may be emulated by Architected Facilities Routines,including such facilities as General Purpose Registers, ControlRegisters, Dynamic Address Translation, and I/O Subsystem support andprocessor cache for example. The emulation routines may also takeadvantage of function available in the emulation processor 207 (such asGeneral Registers and dynamic translation of virtual addresses) toimprove performance of the emulation routines. Special hardware and OffLoad Engines may also be provided to assist the processor 207 inemulating the function of the host computer 100.

US Patent Application IBM Docket Number POU920070211 “ALGORITHM TO SHAREPHYSICAL PROCESSORS TO MAXIMIZE PROCESSOR CACHE USAGE AND TOPOLOGIES”filed on the same day as the present invention, describes creation oftopology information and is incorporated herein in it's entirety byreference.

In order to provide topology information to programs, two instructionsare provided. The first is an enhancement to a prior art instructionSTSI (Store System Information) and the second is a new instruction PTF(Perform Topology Function).

CPU Topology Overview:

With the advent of the new IBM eSeries mainframes, and even previously,machine organization into nodal structures has resulted in a non-uniformmemory access (NUMA) behavior (sometimes also called “lumpiness”). Thepurpose of the new SYSIB 15.1.2 function of the prior art STSI (StoreSystem Information) instruction and the new PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION(PTF) instruction is to provide additional machine topology awareness tothe program so that certain optimizations can be performed (includingimproved cache-hit ratios) and thereby improve overall performance. Theamount of host-CPU resource assigned to a multiprocessing (MP) guestconfiguration has generally been spread evenly across the number ofconfigured guest CPUs. (A guest CPU is a logical CPU provided to aprogram, all guest CPUs are supported by software/hardware partitioningon actual host CPUs). Such an even spread implies that no particularguest CPU (or CPUs) are entitled to any extra host-CPU provisioning thanany other arbitrarily determined guest CPUs. This condition of the guestconfiguration, affecting all CPUs of the configuration, is called“horizontal polarization”. Under horizontal polarization, assignment ofa host CPU to a guest CPU is approximately the same amount ofprovisioning for each guest CPU. When the provisioning is not dedicated,the same host CPUs provisioning the guest CPUs also may be used toprovision guest CPUs of another guest, or even other guest CPUs of thesame guest configuration.

When the other guest configuration is a different logical partition, ahost CPU, when active in each partition, typically must access mainstorage more because the cache-hit ratio is reduced by having to sharethe caches across multiple relocation zones. If host-CPU provisioningcan alter the balance such that some host CPUs are mostly, or evenexclusively, assigned to a given guest configuration (and that becomesthe normal behavior), then cache-hit ratios improve, as doesperformance. Such an uneven spread implies that one or more guest CPUsare entitled to extra host-CPU provisioning versus other, arbitrarilydetermined guest CPUs that are entitled to less host-CPU provisioning.This condition of the guest configuration, affecting all CPUs of theconfiguration, is called “vertical polarization”. The architecturepresented herein categorizes vertical polarization into three levels ofentitlement of provisioning, high, medium, and low:

-   -   High entitlement guarantees approximately 100% of a host CPU        being assigned to a logical/virtual CPU, and the affinity is        maintained as a strong correspondence between the two. With        respect to provisioning of a logical partition, when vertical        polarization is in effect, the entitlement of a dedicated CPU is        defined to be high.    -   Medium entitlement guarantees an unspecified amount of host CPU        resource (one or more host CPUs) being assigned to a        logical/virtual CPU, and any remaining capacity of the host CPU        is considered to be slack that may be assigned elsewhere. The        best case for the available slack would be to assign it as local        slack if that is possible. A less-beneficial result occurs if        that available slack is assigned as remote slack. It is also the        case that the resource percentage assigned to a logical CPU of        medium entitlement is a much softer approximation as compared to        the 100% approximation of a high-entitlement setting.    -   Low entitlement guarantees approximately 0% of a host CPU being        assigned to a logical/virtual CPU. However, if slack is        available, such a logical/virtual CPU may still receive some CPU        resource. A model of nested containers using polarization is        intended to provide a level of intelligence about the machine's        nodal structure as it applies to the requesting configuration,        so that, generally, clusters of host CPUs can be assigned to        clusters of guest CPUs, thereby improving as much as possible        the sharing of storage and the minimizing of different        configurations essentially colliding on the same host CPUs.        Polarization and entitlement indicate the relationship of        physical CPUs to logical CPUs or logical CPUs to virtual CPUs in        a guest configuration, and how the capacity assigned to the        guest configuration is apportioned across the CPUs that comprise        the configuration.

Historically, a guest configuration has been horizontally polarized. Forhowever many guest CPUs were defined to the configuration, the host-CPUresource assigned was spread evenly across all of the guest CPUs in anequitable, non-entitled manner. It can be said that the weight of asingle logical CPU in a logical partition when horizontal polarizationis in effect is approximately equal to the total configuration weightdivided by the number of CPUs. However, with the introduction of the2097 and family models, it becomes imperative to be able to spread thehost-CPU resource in a different manner, which is called verticalpolarization of a configuration, and then the degree of provisioning ofguest CPUs with host CPUs being indicated as high, medium, or lowentitlement. High entitlement is in effect when a logical/virtual CPU ofa vertically-polarized configuration is entirely backed by the same hostCPU. Medium entitlement is in effect when a logical/virtual CPU of avertically-polarized configuration is partially backed by a host CPU.Low entitlement is in effect when a logical/virtual CPU of avertically-polarized configuration is not guaranteed any host-CPUresource, other than what might become available due to slack resourcebecoming available.

CPU Slack:

CPU resource, there are two kinds of slack CPU resource:

Local slack becomes available when a logical/virtual CPU of aconfiguration is not using all the resource to which it is entitled andsuch slack is then used within the configuration of that CPU. Localslack is preferred over remote slack as better hit ratios on caches areexpected when the slack is used within the configuration.

Remote slack becomes available when a logical/virtual CPU of aconfiguration is not using all the resource to which it is entitled andsuch slack is then used outside the configuration of that CPU. Remoteslack is expected to exhibit lower hit ratios on caches, but it is stillbetter than not running a logical/virtual CPU at all.

The goal is to maximize the CPU cache hit ratios. For a logicalpartition, the amount of physical-CPU resource is determined by theoverall system weightings that determine the CPU resource assigned toeach logical partition. For example, in a logical 3-way MP that isassigned physical-CPU resource equivalent to a single CPU, and ishorizontally polarized, each logical CPU would be dispatchedindependently and thus receive approximately 33% physical-CPU resource.If the same configuration were to be vertically polarized, only a singlelogical CPU would be run and would receive approximately 100% of theassigned physical-CPU resource (high entitlement) while the remainingtwo logical CPUs would not normally be dispatched (low entitlement).Such resource assignment is normally an approximation. Even alow-entitlement CPU may receive some amount of resource if only to helpensure that a program does not get stuck on such a CPU. By providing ameans for a control program to indicate that it understandspolarization, and to receive an indication for each CPU of itspolarization and, if vertical polarization, the degree of entitlement,the control program can make more-intelligent use of data structuresthat are generally thought to be local to a CPU vs. available to allCPUs of a configuration. Also, such a control program can avoiddirecting work to any low-entitlement CPU. The actual physical-CPUresource assigned might not constitute an integral number of CPUs, sothere is also the possibility of one or more CPUs in an MPvertically-polarized configuration being entitled but not to a highdegree, thereby resulting in such CPUs having either medium or lowvertical entitlement. It is possible for any remaining low-entitlementCPUs to receive some amount of host-CPU resource. For example, this mayoccur when such a CPU is targeted, such as via a SIGP order and slackhost-CPU resource is available. Otherwise, such a logical/virtual CPUmight remain in an un-dispatched state, even if it is otherwise capableof being dispatched.

Preferably, according to the invention, a 2-bit polarization field isdefined for the new CPU-type “topology-list entry” (TLE) of the STORESYSTEM INFORMATION (STSI) instruction. The degree ofvertical-polarization entitlement for each CPU is indicated as high,medium, or low. The assignment is not a precise percentage but rather issomewhat fuzzy and heuristic.

In addition to vertical polarization as a means of reassigning weightingto guest CPUs, another concept exists, which is the creation andmanagement of slack capacity (also called “white space”). Slack capacityis created under the following circumstances:

A high-vertical CPU contributes to slack when its average utilization(AU) falls below 100 percent (100-AU).

A medium-vertical CPU that has an assigned provisioning of M percent ofa host CPU contributes to slack when its average utilization (AU) fallsbelow M percent (M-AU>0).

A low-vertical CPU does not contribute to slack.

A high-vertical CPU is not a consumer of slack.

STORE SYSTEM INFORMATION Instruction:

An example embodiment of a format of a Store System Informationinstruction FIG. 3 comprises an opcode field ‘B27D’, a base registerfield B2 and a signed displacement field D2. The instruction opcodeinforms the machine executing the instruction that there are impliedgeneral registers ‘0’ and ‘1’ associated with the instruction. Anaddress is obtained of a second operand by adding the signeddisplacement field value to the contents of the general registerspecified by the base field. In an embodiment, when the base registerfield is ‘0’, the sign extended value of the displacement field is useddirectly to specify the second operand. When the Store SystemInformation instruction is fetched and executed, depending on a functioncode in general register 0, either an identification of the level of theconfiguration executing the program is placed in general register 0 orinformation about a component or components of a configuration is storedin a system-information block (SYSIB). When information about acomponent or components is requested, the information is specified byfurther contents of general register 0 and by contents of generalregister 1. The SYSIB, if any, is designated by the second-operandaddress. The machine is considered to provide one, two, or three levelsof configuration. The levels are:

1—The basic machine, which is the machine as if it were operating in thebasic or non-interpretive instruction-execution mode.

2—A logical partition, which is provided if the machine is operating inthe LPAR (logically partitioned, interpretive instruction-execution)mode. A logical partition is provided by the LPAR hypervisor, which is apart of the machine. A basic machine exists even when the machine isoperating in the LPAR mode.

3—A virtual machine, which is provided by a virtual machine (VM) controlprogram that is executed either by the basic machine or in a logicalpartition. A virtual machine may itself execute a VM control programthat provides a higher-level (more removed from the basic machine)virtual machine, which also is considered a level-3 configuration. Theterms basic mode, LPAR mode, logical partition, hypervisor, and virtualmachine, and any other terms related specifically to those terms, arenot defined in this publication; they are defined in the machinemanuals. A program being executed by a level-1 configuration (the basicmachine) can request information about that configuration. A programbeing executed by a level-2 configuration (in a logical partition) canrequest information about the logical partition and about the underlyingbasic machine. A program being executed by a level-3 configuration (avirtual machine) can request information about the virtual machine andabout the one or two underlying levels; a basic machine is alwaysunderlying, and a logical partition may or may not be between the basicmachine and the virtual machine. When information about a virtualmachine is requested, information is provided about the configurationexecuting the program and about any underlying level or levels ofvirtual machine. In any of these cases, information is provided about alevel only if the level implements the instruction.

The function code determining the operation is an unsigned binaryinteger in bit positions 32-35 of general register 0 and is as follows:

Function

Code Information Requested: 0 Current-configuration-level number 1Information about level 1 (the basic machine) 2 Information about level2 (a logical partition) 3 Information about level 3 (a virtual machine)4-14 None; codes are reserved 15  Current-configuration-levelinformation

Invalid Function Code:

The level of the configuration executing the program is called thecurrent level. The configuration level specified by a nonzero functioncode is called the specified level. When the specified level is numberedhigher than the current level, then the function code is called invalid,the condition code is set to 3, and no other action (including checking)is performed.

Valid Function Code:

When the function code is equal to or less than the number of thecurrent level, it is called valid. In this case, bits 36-55 of generalregister 0 and bits 32-47 of general register 1 must be zero or 15;otherwise, a specification exception is recognized. Bits 0-31 of generalregisters 0 and 1 always are ignored. When the function code is 0, anunsigned binary integer identifying the current configuration level (1for basic machine, 2 for logical partition, or 3 for virtual machine) isplaced in bit positions 32-35 of general register 0, the condition codeis set to 0, and no further action is performed. When the function codeis valid and nonzero, general registers 0 and 1 contain additionalspecifications about the information requested, as follows:

Bit positions 56-63 of general register 0 contain an unsigned binaryinteger, called selector 1, that specifies a component or components ofthe specified configuration.

Bit positions 48-63 of general register 1 contain an unsigned binaryinteger, called selector 2, that specifies the type of informationrequested.

The contents of general registers 0 and 1 are shown in FIG. 4.

When the function code is valid and nonzero, information may be storedin a system-information block (SYSIB) beginning at the second-operandlocation. The SYSIB is 4K bytes and must begin at a 4K-byte boundary;otherwise, a specification exception may be recognized, depending onselector 1 and selector 2 and on whether access exceptions arerecognized due to references to the SYSIB. Selector 1 can have values asfollows:

Selector 1 Information Requested 0 None; selector is reserved 1Information about the configuration level specified by the function code2 Information about one or more CPUs in the specified configurationlevel 3-255 None; selectors are reserved

When selector 1 is 1, selector 2 can have values as follows:

Selector 2 when

Selector 1 Is 1 Information Requested 0 None; selector is reserved 1Information about the specified configuration level 2 Topologyinformation about the specified configuration level 3-65,535 None;selectors are reserved

When selector 1 is 2, selector 2 can have values as follows:

Selector 2 when

Selector 1 Is 2 Information Requested 0 None; selector is reserved 1Information about the CPU executing the program in the specifiedconfiguration level 2 Information about all CPUs in the specifiedconfiguration level 3-65,535 None; selectors are reserved

Only certain combinations of the function code, selector 1, and selector2 are valid, as shown in FIG. 5.

When the specified function-code, selector-1, and selector-2 combinationis invalid (is other than as shown in FIG. 5), or if it is valid but therequested information is not available because the specified level doesnot implement or does not fully implement the instruction or because anecessary part of the level is uninstalled or not initialized, andprovided that an exception is not recognized, the condition code is setto 3. When the function code is nonzero, the combination is valid, therequested information is available, and there is no exception, therequested information is stored in a system-information block (SYSIB) atthe second-operand address.

Some or all of the SYSIB may be fetched before it is stored.

A SYSIB may be identified in references by means of “SYSIB fc.s1.s2,”where “fc,” “s1,” and “s2” are the values of a function code, selector1, and selector 2, respectively.

Following sections describe the defined SYSIBs by means of figures andrelated text. In the figures, the offsets shown on the left are wordvalues (a word comprising 4 bytes). “The configuration” refers to theconfiguration level specified by the function code (the configurationlevel about which information is requested). SYSIB 1.1.1 (Basic-MachineConfiguration)

SYSIB 1.1.1 has the format shown in FIG. 6, where the fields have thefollowing meanings:

Reserved: The contents of words 0-7, 13-15, and 29-63 are reserved andare stored as zeros. The contents of words 64-1023 are reserved and maybe stored as zeros or may remain unchanged.

Manufacturer: Words 8-11 contain the 16-character (0-9 or uppercase A-Z)EBCDIC name of the manufacturer of the configuration. The name is leftjustified with trailing blanks if necessary.

Type: Word 12 contains the four-character (0-9) EBCDIC type number ofthe configuration. (This is called the machine-type number in thedefinition of STORE CPU ID.)

Model-Capacity Identifier: Words 16-19 contain the 16-character (0-9 oruppercase A-Z) EBCDIC model-capacity identifier of the configuration.The model-capacity identifier is left justified with trailing blanks ifnecessary.

Sequence Code: Words 20-23 contain the 16-character (0-9 or uppercaseA-Z) EBCDIC sequence code of the configuration. The sequence code isright justified with leading EBCDIC zeros if necessary.

Plant of Manufacture: Word 24 contains the four character (0-9 oruppercase A-Z) EBCDIC code that identifies the plant of manufacture forthe configuration. The code is left justified with trailing blanks ifnecessary.

Model: When word 25 is not binary zeros, words 25-28 contain the16-character (0-9 or uppercase A-Z) EBCDIC model identification of theconfiguration. The model identification is left justified with trailingblanks if necessary. (This is called the model number in programmingnote 4 on page 10-111 of STORE CPU ID.) When word 25 is binary zeros,the contents of words 16-19 represent both the model-capacity identifierand the model.

Programming Notes:

1. The fields of the SYSIB 1.1.1 are similar to those of the nodedescriptor described in the publication Common I/O-Device Commands andSelf Description. However, the contents of the SYSIB fields may not beidentical to the contents of the corresponding node-descriptor fieldsbecause the SYSIB fields:

Allow more characters.

Are more flexible regarding the type of characters allowed.

Provide information that is justified differently within the field.

May not use the same method to determine the contents of fields such asthe sequence code field.

2. The model field in a node descriptor corresponds to the content ofthe STSI model field and not the STSI model-capacity-identifier field.3. The model field specifies the model of the machine (i.e., thephysical model); the model capacity identifier field specifies a tokenthat may be used to locate a statement of capacity or performance in theSystem Library publication for the model.

SYSIB 1.2.1 (Basic-Machine CPU)

SYSIB 1.2.1 has the format shown in FIG. 7 where the fields have thefollowing meaning:

Reserved: The contents of words 0-19, bytes 0 and 1 of word 25, andwords 26-63 are reserved and are stored as zeros. The contents of words64-1023 are reserved and may be stored as zeros or may remain unchanged.

Sequence Code: Words 20-23 contain the 16-character (0-9 or uppercaseA-Z) EBCDIC sequence code of the configuration. The code is rightjustified with leading EBCDIC zeros if necessary.

Plant of Manufacture: Word 24 contains the four character (0-9 oruppercase A-Z) EBCDIC code that identifies the plant of manufacture forthe configuration. The code is left justified with trailing blanks ifnecessary.

CPU Address: Bytes 2 and 3 of word 25 contain the CPU address by whichthis CPU is identified in a multiprocessing configuration. The CPUaddress is a 16-bit unsigned binary integer. The CPU address is the sameas is stored by STORE CPU ADDRESS when the program is executed by amachine operating in the basic mode.

Programming Note:

Multiple CPUs in the same configuration have the same sequence code, andit is necessary to use other information, such as the CPU address, toestablish a unique CPU identity. The sequence code returned for abasic-machine CPU and a logical-partition CPU are identical and have thesame value as the sequence code returned for the basic-machineconfiguration.

SYSIB 1.2.2 (Basic-Machine CPUs)

The format field in byte 0 of word 0 determines the format of the SYSIB.When the format field has a value of zero, SYSIB 1.2.2 has a format-0layout as shown in FIG. 8. When the format field has a value of one,SYSIB 1.2.2 has a format-1 layout as shown in FIG. 9.

Reserved:

When the format field contains a value of zero, the contents of bytes1-3 of word 0 and words 1-6 are reserved and stored as zeros. When theformat field contains a value of one, the contents of byte 1 of word 0and words 1-6 are reserved and stored as zeros. When fewer than 64 wordsare needed to contain the information for all the CPUs, the portion ofthe SYSIB following the adjustment-factor list in a format-0 SYSIB orthe alternate-adjustment-factor list in a format-1 SYSIB, up to word 63are reserved and are stored as zeros. The contents of words 64-1023 arereserved and may be stored as zeros or may remain unchanged. When 64 ormore words are needed to contain the information for all the CPUs, theportion of the SYSIB following the adjustment-factor list in a format-0SYSIB or the alternate-adjustment-factor list in a format-1 SYSIB, up toword 1023 are reserved and may be stored as zeros or may remainunchanged.

Format:

Byte 0 of word 0 contains an 8-bit unsigned binary integer thatspecifies the format of SYSIB 1.2.2.

Alternate-CPU-Capability Offset:

When the format field has a value of one, bytes 2-3 of word 0 contain a16-bit unsigned binary integer that specifies the offset in bytes of thealternate-CPU-capability field in the SYSIB.

Secondary CPU Capability:

Word 7 contains a 32-bit unsigned binary integer that, when not zero,specifies a secondary capability that may be applied to certain types ofCPUs in the configuration. There is no formal description of thealgorithm used to generate this integer, except that it is the same asthe algorithm used to generate the CPU capability. The integer is usedas an indication of the capability of a CPU relative to the capabilityof other CPU models, and also relative to the capability of other CPUtypes within a model. The capability value applies to each of the CPUsof one or more applicable CPU types in the configuration. That is, allCPUs in the configuration of an applicable type or types have the samecapability. When the value is zero, all CPUs of any CPU type in theconfiguration have the same capability, as specified by the CPUcapability. The secondary CPU capability may or may not be the samevalue as the CPU-capability value. Themultiprocessing-CPU-capability-adjustment factors are also applicable toCPUs whose capability is specified by the secondary CPU capability.

CPU Capability:

If bits 0-8 of word 8 are zero, the word contains a 32-bit unsignedbinary integer (I) in the range 0<I<2²³ that specifies the capability ofone of the CPUs in the configuration. If bits 0-8 of word 8 are nonzero,the word contains a 32-bit binary floating point short-format numberinstead of a 32-bit unsigned binary integer. Regardless of encoding, alower value indicates a proportionally higher CPU capacity. Beyond that,there is no formal description of the algorithm used to generate thisvalue. The value is used as an indication of the capability of the CPUrelative to the capability of other CPU models. The capability valueapplies to each of the non-secondary CPUs in the configuration. That is,all non-secondary CPUs in the configuration have the same capability.

Total CPU Count:

Bytes 0 and 1 of word 9 contain a 16-bit unsigned binary integer thatspecifies the total number of CPUs in the configuration. This numberincludes all CPUs in the configured state, the standby state, or thereserved state.

Configured CPU Count:

Bytes 2 and 3 of word 9 contain a 16-bit unsigned binary integer thatspecifies the number of CPUs that are in the configured state. A CPU isin the configured state when it is in the configuration and available tobe used to execute programs.

Standby CPU Count:

Bytes 0 and 1 of word 10 contain a 16-bit unsigned binary integer thatspecifies the number of CPUs that are in the standby state. A CPU is inthe standby state when it is in the configuration, is not available tobe used to execute programs, and can be made available by issuinginstructions to place it in the configured state.

Reserved CPU Count:

Bytes 2 and 3 of word 10 contain a 16-bit unsigned binary integer thatspecifies the number of CPUs that are in the reserved state. A CPU is inthe reserved state when it is in the configuration, is not available tobe used to execute programs, and cannot be made available by issuinginstructions to place it in the configured state. (It may be possible toplace a reserved CPU in the standby or configured state by means ofmanual actions.) Multiprocessing CPU-Capability Adjustment Factors:Beginning with bytes 0 and 1 of word 11, the SYSIB contains a series ofcontiguous two-byte fields, each containing a 16-bit unsigned binaryinteger used to form an adjustment factor (fraction) for the valuecontained in the CPU-capability field. Such a fraction is developed byusing the value (V) of the first two-byte field according to one of thefollowing methods:

If V is in the range 0<V≦100, a denominator of 100 is indicated whichproduces a fraction of V/100.

If V is in the range 101≦V<255, a denominator of 255 is indicated whichproduces a fraction of V/255.

If V is in the range 255≦V≦65,536, a denominator of 65,536 is indicatedwhich produces a fraction of V/65,536.

Thus, the fraction represented by each two-byte field is then developedby dividing the contents of a two byte field by the indicateddenominator. The number of adjustment-factor fields is one less than thenumber of CPUs specified in the total-CPU count field. Theadjustment-factor fields correspond to configurations with increasingnumbers of CPUs in the configured state. The first adjustment-factorfield corresponds to a configuration with two CPUs in the configuredstate. Each successive adjustment-factor field corresponds to aconfiguration with a number of CPUs in the configured state that is onemore than that for the preceding field.

Alternate CPU Capability:

When the format field has a value of one, if bits 0-8 of word N arezero, the word contains a 32-bit unsigned binary integer (I) in therange 0≦I<2²³ that specifies the announced capability of one of the CPUsin the configuration. If bits 0-8 of word N are nonzero, the wordcontains a 32-bit binary floating point short-format number instead of a32-bit unsigned binary integer. Regardless of encoding, a lower valueindicates a proportionally higher CPU capacity. Beyond that, there is noformal description of the algorithm used to generate this value. Thevalue is used as an indication of the announced capability of the CPUrelative to the announced capability of other CPU models. Thealternate-capability value applies to each of the CPUs in theconfiguration. That is, all CPUs in the configuration have the samealternate capability.

Alternate Multiprocessing CPU-Capability Adjustment Factors:

Beginning with bytes 0 and 1 of word N+1, the SYSIB contains a series ofcontiguous two-byte fields, each containing a 16-bit unsigned binaryinteger used to form an adjustment factor (fraction) for the valuecontained in the alternate—CPU-capability field.Such a fraction is developed by using the value (V) of the firsttwo-byte field according to one of the following methods:

If V is in the range 0<V≦100, a denominator of 100 is indicated whichproduces a fraction of V/100.

If V is in the range 101≦V<255, a denominator of 255 is indicated whichproduces a fraction of V/255.

If V is in the range 255≦V<65,536, a denominator of 65,536 is indicatedwhich produces a fraction of V/65,536.

Thus, the fraction represented by each two-byte field is then developedby dividing the contents of a two byte field by the indicateddenominator. The number of alternate-adjustment-factor fields is oneless than the number of CPUs specified in the total-CPU-count field. Thealternate-adjustment-factor fields correspond to configurations withincreasing numbers of CPUs in the configured state. The firstalternate-adjustment-factor field corresponds to a configuration withtwo CPUs in the configured state. Each successivealternate-adjustment-factor field corresponds to a configuration with anumber of CPUs in the configured state that is one more than that forthe preceding field.

SYSIB 15.1.2 (Configuration Topology)

SYSIB 15.1.2 has the format shown in FIG. 10. The fields have themeanings as follows:

Reserved: The contents of bytes 0-1 of word 0, byte 2 of word 2, andword 3 are reserved and are stored as zeros. The contents of wordsN-1023 are reserved and may be stored as zeros or may remain unchanged.

Length: Bytes 2-3 of word 0 contain a 16-bit unsigned binary integerwhose value is the count of bytes of the entire SYSIB 15.1.2. The lengthof just the topology list is determined by subtracting 16 from thelength value in bytes 2-3 of word 0. N in FIG. 10 is determined byevaluating the formula N=Length/4.

Mag1-6: Word and bytes 0-1 of word constitute six one-byte fields wherethe content of each byte indicates the maximum number of container-typetopology-list entries (TLE) or CPU-type TLEs at the correspondingnesting level. CPU-type TLEs are always found only at the Mag1 level.Additionally, the Mag1 value also specifies the maximum number of CPUsthat may be represented by a container-type TLE of the Mag2 level. Whenthe value of the nesting level is greater than one, containing nestinglevels above the Mag1 level are occupied only by container-type TLEs. Adynamic change to the topology may alter the number of TLEs and thenumber of CPUs at the Mag1 level, but the limits represented by thevalues of the Mag1-6 fields do not change within a model family ofmachines.

The topology is a structured list of entries where an entry defines oneor more CPUs or else is involved with the nesting structure. Thefollowing illustrates the meaning of the magnitude fields:

When all CPUs of the machine are peers and no containment organizationexists, other than the entirety of the central-processing complexitself, the value of the nesting level is 1, Mag 1 is the only non-zeromagnitude field, and the number of CPU-type TLEs stored does not exceedthe Mag 1 value.

When all CPUs of the machine are subdivided into peer groups such thatone level of containment exists, the value of the nesting level is 2,Mag1 and Mag2 are the only non-zero magnitude fields, the number ofcontainer-type TLEs stored does not exceed the Mag2 value, and thenumber of CPU-type TLEs stored within each container does not exceed theMag1 value.

The Mag3-6 bytes similarly become used (proceeding in a right-to-leftdirection) when the value of the nesting level falls in the range 3-6.

MNest: Byte 3 of word 2 specifies the nesting level of the topology towhich the configuration may be extended while continuing to allow theguest program to survive. The maximum MNest value is six; the minimum isone. If MNest is one, there is no actual TLE nesting structure, Mag1 isthe only non-zero field in the Mag1-6 range, and only CPU-type TLEs arerepresented in the topology list. The MNest value indicates the numberof non-zero magnitude values beginning with the magnitude field at byteof word 2 (Mag1), proceeding left when MNest is greater than one, andwith the remaining magnitude fields stored as zeros.

The value of MNest is the maximum possible nesting. No dynamicconfiguration change exceeds this limit.

Topology List: Words of FIG. 10 in the range 4 through N-1 specify alist of one or more topology-list entries (TLE). Each TLE is aneight-byte or sixteen-byte field; thus N is an even number of words, anda corollary is that a TLE always starts on a doubleword boundary.

Topology-List Entries: The first TLE in the topology list begins at anesting level equal to MNest-1. The entire topology list represents theconfiguration of the issuer of the STSI instruction specifying SYSIB15.1.2; no outermost container TLE entry is used as it would beredundant with the entire list, and the entire configuration.There-fore, the highest nesting level may have more than a single peercontainer.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the types of TLEs, wherein fields have thefollowing definitions:

Nesting Level (NL): Byte 0 of word 0 specifies the TLE nesting level.

NL Meaning 0 The TLE is a CPU-type TLE. 1-5 The TLE is a container-typeTLE. The first container-type TLE stored in a topology list or a parentcontainer has a container-ID in the range 1-255. If sibling containersexist within the same parent, they proceed in an ascending order ofcontainer IDs, that may or may not be consecutive, to a maximum value of255. 06-FF Reserved.

Sibling TLEs have the same value of nesting level which is equivalent toeither the value of the nesting level minus one of the immediate parentTLE, or the value of MNest minus one, because the immediate parent isthe topology list rather than a TLE.

Reserved, 0: For a container-type TLE, bytes 1-3 of word 0 and bytes 0-2of word 1 are reserved and stored as zeros. For a CPU-type TLE, bytes1-3 of word 0 and bits 0-4 of word 1 are reserved and stored as zeros.

Container ID:

Byte of word 1 of a container-type TLE specifies an 8-bit unsignednon-zero binary integer whose value is the identifier of the container.The container ID for a TLE is unique within the same parent container.

Dedicated (D):

Bit 5 of word 1 of a CPU-type TLE, when one, indicates that the one ormore CPUs represented by the TLE are dedicated. When D is zero, the oneor more CPUs of the TLE are not dedicated.

Polarization (PP):

Bits 6-7 of word 1 of a CPU-type TLE specify the polarization value and,when polarization is vertical, the degree of vertical polarization alsocalled entitlement (high, medium, low) of the corresponding CPU(s)represented by the TLE. The following values are used:

PP Meaning:

0 The one or more CPUs represented by the TLE are horizontallypolarized.

1 The one or more CPUs represented by the TLE are vertically polarized.Entitlement is low.

2 The one or more CPUs represented by the TLE are vertically polarized.Entitlement is medium.

3 The one or more CPUs represented by the TLE are vertically polarized.Entitlement is high.

Polarization is only significant in a logical and virtualmultiprocessing configuration that uses shared host processors andaddresses how the resource assigned to a configuration is applied acrossthe CPUs of the configuration. When horizontal polarization is ineffect, each CPU of a configuration is guaranteed approximately the sameamount of resource. When vertical polarization is in effect, CPUs of aconfiguration are classified into three levels of resource entitlement:high, medium, and low.

Both subsystem reset and successful execution of the SIGPset-architecture order specifying ESA/390 mode place a configuration andall of its CPUs into horizontal polarization. The CPUs immediatelyaffected are those that are in the configured state. When a CPU in thestandby state is configured, it acquires the current polarization of theconfiguration and causes a topology change of that configuration to berecognized.

A dedicated CPU is either horizontally or vertically polarized. When adedicated CPU is vertically polarized, entitlement is always high. Thus,when D is one, PP is either 00 binary or 11 binary.

CPU Type:

Byte 1 of word 1 of a CPU-type TLE specifies an 8-bit unsigned binaryinteger whose value is the CPU type of the one or more CPUs representedby the TLE. The CPU-type value specifies either a primary-CPU type orany one of the possible secondary-CPU types.

CPU-Address Origin:

Bytes 2-3 of word 1 of a CPU-type TLE specify a 16-bit unsigned binaryinteger whose value is the CPU address of the first CPU in the range ofCPUs represented by the CPU mask, and whose presence is represented bythe value of bit position 0 in the CPU mask. A CPU-address origin isevenly divisible by 64. The value of a CPU-address origin is the same asthat stored by the STORE CPU ADDRESS (STAP) instruction when executed onthe CPU represented by bit position 0 in the CPU mask.

CPU Mask:

Words 2-3 of a CPU-type TLE specify a 64-bit mask where each bitposition represents a CPU. The value of the CPU-address origin fieldplus a bit position in the CPU mask equals the CPU address for thecorresponding CPU. When a CPU mask bit is zero, the corresponding CPU isnot represented by the TLE. The CPU is either not in the configurationor else must be represented by another CPU-type TLE.

When a CPU mask bit is one, the corresponding CPU has themodifier-attribute values specified by the TLE, is in the topology ofthe configuration, and is not present in any other TLE of the topology.

Thus, for example, if the CPU-address origin is a value of 64, and bitposition 15 of the CPU mask is one, CPU 79 is in the configuration andhas the CPU type, polarization, entitlement, and dedication as specifiedby the TLE.

TLE Ordering:

The modifier attributes that apply to a CPU-type TLE are CPU type,polarization, entitlement, and dedication. Polarization and entitlement(for vertical polarization) are taken as a single attribute, albeit withfour possible values (horizontal, vertical-high, vertical-medium, andvertical-low).

A single CPU TLE is sufficient to represent as many as 64 CPUs that allhave the same modifier-attribute values.

When more than 64 CPUs exist, or the entire range of CPU addresses arenot covered by a single CPU-address origin, and the modifier attributesare constant, a separate sibling CPU TLE is stored for each CPU-addressorigin, as necessary, in ascending order of CPU-address origin. Eachsuch TLE stored has at least one CPU represented. The collection of oneor more such CPU TLEs is called a CPU-TLE set.

When multiple CPU types exist, a separate CPU-TLE set is stored foreach, in ascending order of CPU type.

When multiple polarization-and-entitlement values exist, a separateCPU-TLE set is stored for each, in descending order of polarizationvalue and degree (vertical high, medium, low, then horizontal). Whenpresent, all polarization CPU-TLE sets of a given CPU type are storedbefore the next CPU-TLE set of the next CPU type.

When both dedicated and not-dedicated CPUs exist, a separate CPU-TLE setis stored for each, dedicated appearing before not-dedicated. All TLEsare ordered assuming a depth-first traversal where the sort order frommajor to minor is as follows:

1. CPU type

a. Lowest CPU-type value

b. Highest CPU-type value

2. Polarization-Entitlement

a. Vertical high

b. Vertical medium

c. Vertical low

d. Horizontal

3. Dedication (when applicable)

a. Dedicated

b. Not dedicated

The ordering by CPU-address origin and modifier attributes of siblingCPU TLEs within a parent container is done according to the followinglist, which proceeds from highest to lowest.

-   -   1. CPU-TLE set of lowest CPU-type value, vertical high,        dedicated    -   2. CPU-TLE set of lowest CPU-type value, vertical high,        not-dedicated    -   3. CPU-TLE set of lowest CPU-type value, vertical medium,        not-dedicated    -   4. CPU-TLE set of lowest CPU-type value, vertical low,        not-dedicated    -   5. CPU-TLE set of lowest CPU-type value, horizontal, dedicated    -   6. CPU-TLE set of lowest CPU-type value, horizontal,        not-dedicated    -   7. CPU-TLE set of highest CPU-type value, vertical high,        dedicated    -   8. CPU-TLE set of highest CPU-type value, vertical high,        not-dedicated    -   9. CPU-TLE set of highest CPU-type value, vertical medium,        not-dedicated    -   10. CPU-TLE set of highest CPU-type value, vertical low,        not-dedicated    -   11. CPU-TLE set of highest CPU-type value, horizontal, dedicated    -   12. CPU-TLE set of highest CPU-type value, horizontal,        not-dedicated

Other TLE Rules:

-   -   1. A container-type TLE is located at nesting levels in the        range 1-5.    -   2. A CPU-type TLE is located at nesting level 0.    -   3. The number of sibling container-type TLEs in a topology list        or a given parent container does not exceed the value of the        magnitude byte (Mag2-6) of the nesting level corresponding to        the siblings.    -   4. The number of CPUs represented by the one or more CPU-type        TLEs of the parent container does not exceed the value of the        Mag1 magnitude byte.    -   5. The content of a TLE is defined as follows:        -   a. If a TLE is a container-type TLE, the content is a list            that immediately follows the parent TLE, comprised of one or            more child TLEs, and each child TLE has a nesting level of            one less than the nesting level of the parent TLE or            topology-list end.        -   b. If a TLE is a CPU-type TLE, the content is one or more            CPUs, as identified by the other fields of a CPU TLE.    -   6. When the first TLE at a nesting level is a CPU entry, the        maximum nesting level 0 has been reached.

Programming Note:

A possible examination process of a topology list is described. Beforean examination of a topology list is begun, the current-TLE pointer isinitialized to reference the first or top TLE in the topology list, theprior-TLE pointer is initialized to null, and then TLEs are examined ina top-to-bottom order.

As a topology-list examination proceeds, the current-TLE pointer isadvanced by incrementing the current-TLE pointer by the size of thecurrent TLE to which it points. A container-type TLE is advanced byadding eight to the current-TLE pointer. A CPU-type TLE is advanced byadding sixteen to the current-TLE pointer. The process of advancing thecurrent-TLE pointer includes saving its value as the prior-TLE pointerjust before it is incremented. TLE examination is not performed if thetopology list has no TLEs.

The examination process is outlined in the following steps:

1. If the current-TLE nesting level is zero, and the prior-TLE nestinglevel is null or one, the current TLE represents the first CPU-type TLEof a group of one or more CPU-type TLEs. The program should performwhatever action is appropriate for when a new group of one or more CPUsis first observed. Go to step 5.2. If the current-TLE nesting level is zero, and the prior-TLE nestinglevel is zero, the current TLE represents a subsequent CPU-type TLE of agroup of CPU-type TLEs that represent siblings of the CPUs previouslyobserved in steps 1 or 2. The program should perform whatever action isappropriate for when the size of an existing sibling group of one ormore CPUs is increased. Go to step 5.3. If the current-TLE nesting level is not zero, and the prior-TLEnesting level is zero, the prior TLE represents a last or only CPU-typeTLE of a group of one or more CPU-type TLEs. The program should performwhatever action is appropriate for when an existing group of one or moreCPUs is completed. Go to step 5.4. Go to step 5.

By elimination, this would be the case where the current-TLE nestinglevel is not zero, and the prior-TLE nesting level is not zero. If thecurrent-TLE nesting level is less than the prior-TLE nesting level, thedirection of topology-list traversal is toward a CPU-type TLE. If thecurrent-TLE nesting level is greater than the prior-TLE nesting level,the direction of topology-list traversal is away from a CPU-type TLE.Container-type TLEs are being traversed leading to either (1) anothergroup of CPU-type TLEs that are a separate group in the overalltopology, or (2) the end of the topology list. In either case, noparticular processing is required beyond advancing to the next TLE.

5. Advance to the next TLE position based upon the type of the currentTLE. If the advanced current-TLE pointer is equivalent to the end of thetopology list:

a. No more TLEs of any type exist.

b. If the prior-TLE nesting level is zero, the program should performwhatever action is appropriate for when an existing group of one or moreCPUs is completed.

c. The examination is complete.

Otherwise, go to step 1.

In an example implementation, FIG. 16, a computer system comprises twophysical frames (Frame 1 and Frame 2). Each frame contains two logicboards (Board 1 and Board 2), main storage (Memory), and I/O adapters(I/O Channels 1 and I/O Channels 2) for communicating with peripheraldevices and networks. Each Board contains two multi-chip modules (Mod 1,Mod 2, Mod 3 and Mod 4). Each multi-chip module contains two processors(CPU1, CPU2, CPU3, CPU4, CPUS, CPU6 CPU7 and CPU8). Each module alsocontains a level-2 Cache (Cache 1, Cache 2, Cache 3 and Cache 4). Eachprocessor (Central Processing Unit or CPU), includes a level-1 Cache andTranslation-Lookaside-Buffer (TLB). The TLB buffers address translationinformation during dynamic address translation.

According to the invention, FIG. 17, the components of the computersystem are assigned to “containers” according to proximity. Each moduleis assigned to inner-most containers 6, 7, 8 and 9 as the CPU's of eachmodule are in most close proximity to each other. Since the modules arepackaged on boards, the modules of the respective boards are assigned tonext level containers 4 and 5. The next higher proximity grouping is theFrame. The boards of a frame are assigned to a container representingthe frame (containers 2 and 3). The whole system is represented bycontainer 1.

It can be seen that two CPUs on the same module such as CPU1 and CPU2are in closest topological relationship or distance to each other andthat both reside in one container (container 6) and no containerboundary is crossed when only those CPUs are involved. However, if CPU1and CPU8 are involved, there are 4 container boundaries crossed. CPU1 incontainer 6 is separated by container 4, 5 and 9 from CPU8. Therefore,knowing the container structure, a user can get a view of the topologyof the system.

Of course, in a logically partitioned system, CPUs may be shared betweenoperating systems as previously discussed. Therefore, if a logicalpartition was assigned 3 logical CPUs, each logical CPU assigned to 20%of each of three real CPUs, the partition would perform best if the 3real CPUs were in closest proximity to each other as communicationbetween CPUs and CPU resources (cache and memory for example) wouldperform best. In our example, CPU1 and CPU2 in a partition wouldexperience less thrashing of cache lines in Cache 1 than if the two CPUswere CPU1 and CPU8.

In the Example, a partition is created including CPU1, CPU2 and CPU3. Aprogram operating in the partition issues a STSI instruction and a SYSIB15.1.2 (FIG. 10) table is returned to the program. In this case,partition comprises container 6 and container 7 and therefore there aretwo levels of nesting. The SYSIB table values are:

The MNest field is set to 4 indicating that the topology includes 4levels of nesting, which is an absolute maximum nesting for the model,and may or may not be fully exploited on any arbitrary topology list,depending on resource assignment to the guest configuration issuingSTSI, and how resources are assigned to other guest configurations ofthe system.

The Mag1 field is set to 2 indicating 2 CPUs are available at the mostprimitive first level.

The Mag2 field is set to 2 indicating that 2 second level (Module)containers are available.

The Mag3 field is set to 2 indicating 2 third level (Boards) areavailable.

The Mag4 field is set to 2 indicating 2 fourth level (Frames) areavailable.

In our example, the 3 CPUs are contained in two modules on the sameboard, therefore the following 4 TLE entries are provided:

1. NL=1; CtnrID=1 (container 6)

2. NL=0; CPU type=1 (the type of CPU's); CPU Addr Origin=0; CPU Mask0110 . . . 00 (CPU1 and CPU2 of the addressed CPU's)

3. NL=1; CtnrID=2 (container 7)

4. NL=0; CPU type=1 (the type of CPU's); CPU Addr Origin=0; CPU Mask00010 . . . 00 (CPU3 of the addressed CPU's)

Thus, the program has a representation of the topology based on thecontainer and CPU TLE's returned.

Perform Topology Function (PTF)

Referring to FIG. 13, a Perform Topology Function (PTF) instructionpreferably comprises an opcode and a register field R1 identifying afirst operand. The contents of the general register identified by R1specify a function code in bit positions 56-63, as illustrated in FIG.14.

The defined function codes are as follows:

FC Meaning 0 Request horizontal polarization. 1 Request verticalpolarization. 2 Check topology-change status.

Undefined function codes in the range 0-255 are reserved for futureextensions.

Upon completion, if condition code 2 is set, a reason code is stored inbit positions 48-55 of general register R1. Bits 16-23 and 28-31 of theinstruction are ignored.

Operation of Function Code 0:

Execution completes with condition code for any of the following reasonsand (reason codes):

No reason specified (0).The requesting configuration is already horizontally polarized (1).A topology change is already in process (2).Otherwise, a process is initiated to place all CPUs in the configurationinto horizontal polarization.

Completion of the process is asynchronous with respect to execution ofthe instruction and may or may not be completed when execution of theinstruction completes.

Resulting Condition Code:

0 Topology-change initiated1—2 request rejected3—

Operation of Function Code 1:

Execution completes with condition code 2 for any of the followingreasons and (reason codes):

No reason specified (0).The requesting configuration is already vertically polarized (1).A topology change is already in process (2).

Otherwise, a process is initiated to place all CPUs in the configurationinto vertical polarization. Completion of the process is asynchronouswith respect to execution of the instruction and may or may not becompleted when execution of the instruction completes.

Resulting Condition Code:

0 Topology-change initiated1—2 Request rejected3—

Operation of Function Code 2: The topology-change-report-pendingcondition is checked, and the instruction completes with the conditioncode set. Resulting Condition Code:

0 Topology-change-report not pending Topology1 change report pending2—3—

A topology change is any alteration such that the contents of a SYSIB15.1.2 would be different from the contents of the SYSIB 15.1.2 prior tothe topology change.

A topology-change-report-pending condition is created when atopology-change process completes. A topology-change-report-pendingcondition is cleared for the configuration when any of the following isperformed:

Execution of PERFORM TOPOLOGY FUNCTION specifies function-code 2 thatcompletes with condition code 1.STORE SYSTEM INFORMATION for SYSIB 15.1.2 is successfully executed byany CPU in the configuration.Subsystem reset is performed.Special conditions:

If bit positions 0-55 of general register R1 are not zeros, aspecification exception is recognized. If an undefined function code isspecified, a specification exception is recognized.

Program Exceptions:

Operation (Configuration-topology facility is not installed)Privileged operation

Specification A Mainframe Example Environment:

As high end server architectures increase the number of physicalprocessors and processor speeds continue to improve, the processor“nest” needed to build large machines continues to be made of smallerbuilding blocks that are more nodal in nature. For instance, while theL2 cache of a z990 or z9 machine is fully cache coherent, the fullypopulated models actually have four (4) separate L2s that are connectedby a fabric to present the appearance of a single L2 cache. The penaltyfor going off node to resolve a cache miss continues to increase. Forinstance, resolving an L1 miss in a remote L2 is more expensive thanresolving it in the local L2. Missing in a CP' s private, usually onchip, L1 cache is expensive to start with and having to go all the wayout to memory can seem like an eternity. The increase in speed of memoryand the connections to it are not keeping pace with increases inprocessor speed. While one might want to try to pack everything closertogether “on chip” or the like, power consumption and cooling issues runcounter to this.

With the introduction of z990, LPAR became aware of the machine topologyand began optimizing the allocation of logical partition CP and storageresources to the physical resources. Enhancements to the capabilitiesfor dynamically re-optimizing logical partition resource assignmentswere introduced with z9 GA-1 primarily in support of concurrent bookrepair.

The new support discussed here addresses the true start of havingzSeries OS software become aware of the topology of the machine,presented as a logical partition topology, to then provide affinitydispatching with regards to CPU placement in the CEC book structure.

You can think of the way zSeries LPAR manages shared logical partitionstoday as being horizontally polarized. That is, the processing weightfor the logical partition is equally divided between all the onlinelogical CPs in the logical partition. This support introduces a new,optional form of polarization for managing the shared logical CPs of alogical partition called vertical polarization.

When a logical partition chooses to run in vertical mode, softwareissues a new instruction to inform the zSeries hypervisor of this andthe hypervisor will change how it dispatches the logical partition.

Depending on the configuration of the vertical logical partition,logical processors would have high, medium or low polarity. Polaritydescribes the amount of physical processor share vertical logicalprocessors are entitled to. Customers define weights for logicalpartitions which effectively defines the amount of physical processorcycles each logical partition in a machine is entitled to.

Polarity is measured by the ratio of a logical partition's currentweight to the number of logical processors configured to the logicalpartition. High polarity processors have close to 100% CPU share. MediumPolarity processors have >0 to 99% shares and low polarity processorshave 0% share (or very close to it). High polarity logical CPs will beassigned a physical processor to run on very similar to dedicated CPsbut the shared high polarity CP can still give up the physical resourceand allow other shared CPs to use its excess cycles. The key here thenbecomes that software sees the logical topology and tries to exploit thehighly polarized logical CPs for its work queues.

For example, a customer configures a three-way processor with 2 logicalpartitions, each with 2 logical processors and each with a weight of 50.If the first logical partition defined itself as vertical, it would have1 high and 1 medium polarity logical CP.

Note that when a logical partition chooses to run in vertical mode, theentire logical partition runs in vertical mode. This includes all of itssecondary processors such as zAAPs (IFAs) and/or zIIPs. It is theresponsibility of the customer to define weights to all of the processortypes for these logical partitions that will achieve the desired levelof vertical processing for each type.

Logical Partition Topology Support

-   -   Establish infrastructure for a logical partition nodal topology.    -   Make any changes needed to LPAR's nodal assignment algorithms        for existing horizontal partitions needed to provide a valid        topology.    -   Provide instruction simulation for the new configuration        topology information block for the Store System Information        (STSI) instruction to provide logical partition nodal topology        to the logical partition.    -   Examine changes to the physical or logical configuration to        determine if a topology change is needed. These can occur when:        -   A physical CP is added or removed from the configuration        -   A logical CP is added or removed from the configuration        -   A logical partition is activated        -   A logical partition is deactivated        -   The logical partition weights are changed from the HMC/SE        -   Software initiation of changes a logical partition's weight.        -   A logical partition is reset (switch to horizontal).        -   A logical partition switches to ESA/390 mode (switch to            horizontal)

Algorithms of the Environment:

A topology must be assigned to a logical partition when it is firstactivated and then any changes in the nodal topology assigned to alogical partition must result in the logical partition being notified.The results of the nodal topology must be kept in a convenient new datastructure to allow easier queries by the new STSI processing as well aslimiting processing as best as possible when configuration changes aremade. This new structure also allows for topology change processingcompleting in multiple steps with the required serialization for eachstep without introducing inconsistent views of the topology to thelogical partition.

Topology Assignment

How the logical topology is chosen, is not important for thisdisclosure. Suffice it to say that a determination must be made of howmany of each types of logical processors are needed and which nodes orbooks they need to be assigned to. For a vertical mode partition, thismeans the count of vertical high, vertical medium, and vertical lowprocessors for each processor type.

Assigning Polarization values to logical CPs

Once the above counts are determined, the polarization assignments aremade from lowest online logical CP address of the cp type to highest inthe order of (1) all vertical highs, (2) all vertical mediums, and (3)all vertical lows. The order in which this is done is arbitrary andother orders of selection are possible.

‘Store System Information’ Instruction Mappings

Add 3 structures to map the 15.1.2 response:

1. Mapping for STSI 15.1.2, the response block mapping the topology

Dcl 1 syibk1512 char(4096) based (*), 3 * char(2), 3 syibk1512_lengthfixed(16), length 3 syibk1512_mag6 fixed(8), 6^(th) level nest 3syibk1512_mag5 fixed(8), 5^(th) 3 syibk1512_mag4 fixed(8), 4th 3syibk1512_mag3 fixed(8), 3^(rd) 3 syibk1512_mag2 fixed(8), 2^(nd), nodes3 syibk1512_mag1 fixed(8), 1^(st), cpus 3 * char(1), 3 syibk1512_mnestfixed(8), nesting level 3 * char(4), 3 syibk1512_topology_list char(0);topology list2. Mapping for a container-type TLE for STSI 15.1.2

Dcl 1 syibk_vcm_container char(8) based(*), 3 syibknl fixed(8), nestinglevel 3 * char(3), 3 * char(1), 3 * char(2), 3 syibk_container_idfixed(8); node id

3. Mapping for a CPU-type TLE for STSI 15.1.2

Dcl 1 syibk_vcm_cpu char(16) based(*), 3 syibknl2 fixed(8), nestinglevel 3 * char(3), 3 syibk_ded_polarization bit(8), vcm byte 5 * bit(5),5 syibk_dedicated bit(1), dedicated bit 5 syibk_polarization bit(2),polarization bits 3 syibk_cputype fixed(8), cpu type 3 syibk_cpuaddrorgfixed(16), address origin 3 syibk_cpumask bit(64); cpu mask entry

TOPBK—Partition Topology

A summary of a logical partition's topology is kept current in thisblock by the nodal assignment routines. The data in this block isordered in such a way that STSI processing can make one pass of theentire structure to create the logical partition topology response tothe program, preserving the order and separation of CPU entries asrequired by architecture.

It consists of a 3 dimensional array (node, cp type, polarizationclassification) with a 64-bit CPU mask per entry.A second working area, TOP_WORKING, is included for use in updating thetopology.

DECLARE 1 TOPBK BASED BDY(DWORD), 3 TOP_CURRENT , 5TOPCPUMASK(1:MAXNODE, /* Each of 1-4 nodes */ 0:CPUTMAX, /* CP typeindex */ 0:3) /* 4 possible topology classifications when the logicalpartition is vertical. There are only 2 classifications when thepartition is horizontal. */ BIT(64), /* Mask of the logical CPUs thatfall into this classification. */ 3 TOP_WORKINGCHAR(LENGTH(TOP_CURRENT)); /* Work area for building new topology */

TO3PO—Partition Topology Translation

These “constant” translation tables are used by the nodal assignmentroutines which build the topology (mapped by TOPBK) and STSI processingwhich reads the topology.

/****************************/ /* STSI translation arrays:  *//****************************/ DECLARE  1 TOPVERT(0:3) BIT(8) /* Forvertical partitions, translates the classification index above to thearchitected D (dedication) and PP (polarization) values to be returnedfor this group of CPs in the STSI data */ STATICINIT(‘00000’b||‘1’b||PPVH, /* Classification 0: Dedicated Verticalhigh */ ‘00000’b||‘0’b||PPVH, /* Classification 1: Shared Vertical high*/ ‘00000’b||‘0’b||PPVM, /* Classification 2: Shared Vertical Medium */‘00000’b||‘0’b||PPVL), /* Classification 3: Shared Vertical Low */ 3 *BIT(5), /* Unused, need byte alignment for bit arrays*/ 3 TOPDPP BIT(3),/* Actual D, PP values to use */  1 TOPHOR(0:1) BIT(8) /* For horizontalpartitions, translates the classification index above to the architectedD (dedication) and PP (polarization) values to be returned for thisgroup of CPs in the STSI data. Note only the first two classificationscan be used for a horizontal partition. */ STATICINIT(‘00000’b||‘1’b||PPH, /* Classification 0: Dedicated Horizontal */‘00000’b||‘0’b||PPH), /* Classification 1: Shared Horizontal */ 3 *BIT(5), /* Unused, need byte alignment for bit arrays*/ 3 TOPDPP BIT(3),/* Actual D, PP values to use */ /*************************/ /* NDItranslation array  */ /*************************/  1 TOPDPP2CLASS(0:7)FIXED /* Used by the nodal assignment routines to create the topologyinformation. LPDPP is used as an index into this array to determinewhich classification index the logical CP should use. This one array isused for both horizontal and vertical partitions */ STATIC INIT(1, /*Shared, horizontal */ 3, /* Shared, vertical low */ 2, /* Shared,vertical medium */ 1, /* Shared, vertical high */ 0, /* Dedicated,horizontal */ 0, /* Not applicable */ 0, /* Not applicable */ 0), /*Dedicated, vertical high */  3 * CHAR(4); /* Force to be non-simple item*/

Logical Processor Block:

A 2 bit encoding of partition polarization can be tracked for eachlogical processor to reflect its polarization. Grouping this with a1-bit indication of dedication allows a complete polarity picture for alogical processor in 3-bits:

... 3 LPDPP BIT(3), /* Polarization, including dedication */ 4 LPDEDBIT(1), /* =1, logical CP is dedicated */ 4 LPPP BIT(2), /* ProcessorPolarization */ ... /* Encodings for Processor Polarization */ PPHBIT(2) CONSTANT(‘00’B), /* Horizontally polarized */ PPVL BIT(2)CONSTANT(‘01’B), /* Vertically polarized - Low */ PPVM BIT(2)CONSTANT(‘10’B), /* Vertically polarized - Medium */ PPVH BIT(2)CONSTANT(‘11’B), /* Vertically polarized - High */

-   -   Update Topology Block    -   Clear Local copy of CPU topology mask    -   DO for every logical CP in the target logical partition    -   IF the logical CP is online THEN    -   DO    -   Polarity index=Polarity index appropriate for the logical CPs        polarization value according to the translate polarization value        to polarity index array    -   Local copy of CPU topology mask (cpu_address, node, cptype,        Polarity index)=ON    -   END    -   END    -   IF new topology block NOT=current topology block for partition        THEN    -   Set topology change report bit and copy the new topology to the        current.        Instruction simulation for STSI 15.1.2

Within syibk mappings for the STSI 15.1.2 response block, acontainer-type TLE, and a CPU-type TLE have been be added. Essentially,the data must be returned in container(s) with the entry at the lowestlevel being a CPU-type TLE. One can think of this as an array of arraysbased on how the logical partition's resources have been subdivided orallocated. For the preferred embodiment, each container is essentially anode with a nesting level of 1 and includes CPU type TLE(S) that eachhas a nesting level of 0. The CPU TLEs are ordered by CPU type followedby their classification. Vertical partitions have four classifications(vertical dedicated, vertical high shared, vertical medium shared, &vertical low shared) and horizontal partitions have two classifications(dedicated & shared).

The following steps illustrate a use case for how a STSI 15.1.2 ishandled after all the upfront checks have validated the instructioninput.

For the current embodiment a max of 4 nodes and 64 processors isassumed.

Start scan of topbk, and in a local variable called current_node_valuemaintain the value of the node index we are currently on. The reason weneed this is because if all the 64 bit masks within a node are zero, wedo not need to create a container-type TLE for that node.

Once the first non-zero entry is found within a node, first create acontainer-type TLE entry for that node. Within the container TLE entry,the nesting value is 1, followed by 48 reserved bits. The last bits arethe node ID which is the index in topbk of the current node we areprocessing. After creating the container-type TLE, create a CPU-type TLEfor the entry with a non-zero bit mask. Within this entry, the nestinglevel is 0, followed by 24 reserved bits. The next 8 bits include thededicated bit and the polarization bit. If the partition is currentlyvertical, fill in the polarization value and dedicated bit as follows:

Classification 0 in topbk is vertical dedicated, store a 11 in the PPand 1 in DClassification 1 in topbk is vertical high shared, store a 11 in PP and0 in DClassification 2 in topbk is vertical medium shared, store 10 in PP and0 in DClassification 3 in topbk is vertical low shared, store a 01 in PP and 0in DFor horizontal partitions, only classification 0 and 1 are currentlyvalid. Fill in the dedicated bit and polarization value as follows:Classification 0 in topbk is horizontal dedicated, store a 00 in the PPand 1 in DClassification 1 in topbk is horizontal shared, store a 00 in PP and 0in D

The CPU Type, the next value to be filled in the CPU-TLE is just theindex of the second array within topcpumask in topbk. (0—GP, 2—IFA,3—IFL, 4—ICF, 1 is currently unused).

1. The next value is the CPU address origin. This value is explicitlystored as 0 as the 64 is maximum number of CPUs available in the currentembodiment.2. The last value in syibk_vcm_cpu is the CPU mask, the non-zero 64 bitmask stored in the nested array of arrays topcpumask.3. For each non-zero mask following the first non-zero bit mask within anode, create a separate CPU-type TLE entry and iterate through thisprocess for all 4 nodes.

In an embodiment, the PTF instruction might request specific changes tothe topology other than a change of polarization, such changes include(but are not limited to) requesting more guest processors be added tothe guest configuration, requesting fewer guest processors in the guestconfiguration, requesting one or more dedicated processors be added orremoved from the guest configuration, requesting specific polarizationof specific guest processors, requesting co-processors be added orremoved from the guest configuration, requesting a temporary change ofthe topology, requesting a change of the topology for a predeterminedperiod of time and the like.

Furthermore, the invention is not limited to topology of processors. Itcan be appreciated that the basic component of the invention couldadvantageously apply to components other than CPUs, including, but notlimited to co-processors, Caches, TLBs, internal data paths, data pathbuffers, distributed memory and I/O communications adapters for example.

1. In a logically partitioned host computer system comprising hostprocessors (host CPUs), a method for a configuration change of atopology of a plurality of guest processors (guest CPUs) of a guestconfiguration, the method comprising: a guest processor of the guestconfiguration fetching a perform topology function instruction definedfor a computer architecture, the perform topology function instructioncomprising an opcode field specifying a function to be performed;executing function to be performed of the perform topology functioninstruction comprising: requesting a specified polarization change ofthe configuration of the topology of the guest processors of the guestconfiguration; responsive to the requested specified polarization changebeing accepted, initiating a change of the topology of the guestprocessors of the guest configuration according to the specifiedpolarization change and setting a condition code to a first conditioncode value, the first condition code value indicating a topology-changeinitiated; and responsive to the requested specified polarization changenot being accepted, setting the condition code to a second conditioncode value, the second condition code value indicating a topology-changeis rejected.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the performtopology function instruction further comprises a register field,wherein the executing the perform topology function instruction furthercomprises: obtaining from a function code field of a register specifiedby the register field, a function code field value, the function codefield value consisting of any one of a horizontal polarizationspecifier, a vertical polarization specifier or a check of a topologychange specifier; responsive to the instruction specifying thehorizontal polarization, initiating horizontal polarization of the guestprocessors of the computer configuration; and setting a result codevalue in a result field of the register.
 3. The method according toclaim 2, wherein the initiated polarization request is asynchronous tothe completion of the execution, wherein the method further comprises,responsive to the function code field value specifying a check of atopology change, checking the completion status of the topology change.4. The method according to claim 6, wherein horizontal polarizationcomprises providing substantially equal host processor resource to eachguest processor resource, wherein vertical polarization comprisesproviding substantially more host processor resource to at least oneguest processor of said guest processors than to at least another guestprocessor of said guest processors.
 5. The method according to claim 2,wherein the result code value specifies a reason code consisting of:responsive to the configuration being polarized as specified by thefunction code prior to execution, the result code value indicating theconfiguration is already polarized according to the function code; andresponsive to the configuration processing an incomplete polarizationprior to execution, the result code value indicating a topology changeis already in process.
 6. The method according to claim 2, furthercomprising: responsive to the instruction specifying the verticalpolarization, initiating vertical polarization of the guest processorsof the computer configuration, thereby producing a resultant updatedtopology.
 7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the executionfurther comprises: responsive to no topology change report beingpending, setting a condition code indicating a topology-change-reportnot pending; and responsive to a topology change report being pending,setting a condition code indicating a topology-change-report pending. 8.The method according to claim 2, wherein the perform topology functioninstruction defined for the computer architecture is fetched andexecuted by a central processing unit of an alternate computerarchitecture, wherein the method further comprises interpreting theperform topology function instruction to identify a predeterminedsoftware routine for emulating the operation of the perform topologyfunction instruction; and wherein executing the perform topologyfunction instruction comprises executing the predetermined softwareroutine to perform steps of the method for executing the performtopology function instruction.
 9. A computer program product for aconfiguration change of a topology of a plurality of guest processors(guest CPUs) of a guest configuration in a logically partitioned hostcomputer system comprising host processors (host CPUs), the computerprogram product comprising a tangible storage medium readable byprocessing circuit and storing instructions for execution by theprocessing circuit for performing a method comprising: a guest processorof the guest configuration fetching a perform topology functioninstruction defined for a computer architecture, the perform topologyfunction instruction comprising an opcode field specifying a function tobe performed; executing function to be performed of the perform topologyfunction instruction comprising: requesting a specified polarizationchange of the configuration of the topology of the guest processors ofthe guest configuration; responsive to the requested specifiedpolarization change being accepted, initiating a change of the topologyof the guest processors of the guest configuration according to thespecified polarization change and setting a condition code to a firstcondition code value, the first condition code value indicating atopology-change initiated; and responsive to the requested specifiedpolarization change not being accepted, setting the condition code to asecond condition code value, the second condition code value indicatinga topology-change is rejected.
 10. The computer program productaccording to claim 9, wherein the perform topology function instructionfurther comprises a register field, wherein the executing the performtopology function instruction further comprises: obtaining from afunction code field of a register specified by the register field, afunction code field value, the function code field value consisting ofany one of a horizontal polarization instruction specifier, a verticalpolarization instruction specifier or a check of a topology changespecifier; responsive to the instruction specifying the horizontalpolarization, initiating horizontal polarization of the guest processorsof the computer configuration; and setting a result code value in aresult field of the register.
 11. The computer program product accordingto claim 10, wherein initiated polarization is asynchronous to thecompletion of the execution, wherein the method further comprisesresponsive to the function code field value specifying a check of atopology change, checking the completion status of the topology change.12. The computer program product according to claim 14, whereinhorizontal polarization comprises providing substantially equal hostprocessor resource to each guest processor resource, wherein verticalpolarization comprises providing substantially more host processorresource to at least one guest processor of said guest processors thanto at least another guest processor of said guest processors.
 13. Thecomputer program product according to claim 10, wherein the result codevalue specifies a reason code consisting of: responsive to theconfiguration being polarized as specified by the function code prior toexecution, the result code value indicating the configuration is alreadypolarized according to the function code; and responsive to theconfiguration processing an incomplete polarization prior to execution,the result code value indicating a topology change is already inprocess.
 14. The computer program product according to claim 10, furthercomprising: responsive to the instruction specifying the verticalpolarization, initiating vertical polarization of the guest processorsof the computer configuration, thereby producing a resultant updatedtopology.
 15. The computer program product according to claim 11,wherein the execution further comprises: responsive to no topologychange report being pending, setting a condition code indicating atopology-change-report not pending; and responsive to a topology changereport being pending, setting a condition code indicating atopology-change-report pending.
 16. The computer program productaccording to claim 10, wherein the perform topology function instructiondefined for the computer architecture is fetched and executed by acentral processing unit of an alternate computer architecture, whereinthe method further comprises interpreting the perform topology functioninstruction to identify a predetermined software routine for emulatingthe operation of the perform topology function instruction; and whereinexecuting the perform topology function instruction comprises executingthe predetermined software routine to perform steps of the method forexecuting the perform topology function instruction.
 17. A computersystem comprising: a memory; a logically partitioned host computersystem comprising host processors (host CPUs) in communication with saidmemory; wherein the computer system is configured to perform a methodfor a configuration change of a topology of a plurality of guestprocessors (quest CPUs) of a guest configuration, the method comprising:a guest processor of the guest configuration fetching a perform topologyfunction instruction defined for a computer architecture, the performtopology function instruction comprising an opcode field specifying afunction to be performed; executing function to be performed of theperform topology function instruction comprising: requesting a specifiedpolarization change of the configuration of the topology of the guestprocessors of the guest configuration; responsive to the requestedspecified polarization change being accepted, initiating a change of thetopology of the guest processors of the guest configuration according tothe specified polarization change and setting a condition code to afirst condition code value, the first condition code value indicating atopology-change initiated; and responsive to the requested specifiedpolarization change not being accepted, setting the condition code to asecond condition code value, the second condition code value indicatinga topology-change is rejected.
 18. The computer system according toclaim 17, wherein the perform topology function instruction furthercomprises a register field, wherein the executing the perform topologyfunction instruction further comprises: obtaining from a function codefield of a register specified by the register field, a function codefield value, the function code field value consisting of any one of ahorizontal polarization instruction specifier, a vertical polarizationinstruction specifier or a check of a topology change specifier;responsive to the instruction specifying the horizontal polarization,initiating horizontal polarization of the guest processors of thecomputer configuration; and setting a result code value in a resultfield of the register.
 19. The computer system according to claim 18,wherein initiated polarization is asynchronous to the completion of theexecution, wherein the method further comprises responsive to thefunction code field value specifying a check of a topology change,checking the completion status of the topology change.
 20. The computersystem according to claim 22, wherein horizontal polarization comprisesproviding substantially equal host processor resource to each guestprocessor resource, wherein vertical polarization comprises providingsubstantially more host processor resource to at least one guestprocessor of said guest processors than to at least another guestprocessor of said guest processors.
 21. The computer system according toclaim 18, wherein the result code value specifies a reason codeconsisting of: responsive to the configuration being polarized asspecified by the function code prior to execution, the result code valueindicating the configuration is already polarized according to thefunction code; and responsive to the configuration processing anincomplete polarization prior to execution, the result code valueindicating a topology change is already in process.
 22. The computersystem according to claim 18, further comprising: responsive to theinstruction specifying the vertical polarization, initiating verticalpolarization of the guest processors of the computer configuration,thereby producing a resultant updated topology.
 23. The computer systemaccording to claim 19, wherein the execution further comprises:responsive to no topology change report being pending, setting acondition code indicating a topology-change-report not pending; andresponsive to a topology change report being pending, setting acondition code indicating a topology-change-report pending.
 24. Thecomputer system according to claim 18, wherein the perform topologyfunction instruction defined for the computer architecture is fetchedand executed by a central processing unit of an alternate computerarchitecture, wherein the method further comprises interpreting theperform topology function instruction to identify a predeterminedsoftware routine for emulating the operation of the perform topologyfunction instruction; and wherein executing the perform topologyfunction instruction comprises executing the predetermined softwareroutine to perform steps of the method for executing perform topologyfunction instruction.